Protect Me (10 page)

She took in the sights and sounds of LA as she made her way down the sidewalk. Even for a Sunday afternoon the streets were busy, people milling about, heading in and out of stores with arms full of bags. She felt tiny in between the large apartment and professional buildings that lined up and down each side of the road. The windows reflected the sun in every direction bathing her in the warmth of the rays. People walking by her didn’t even acknowledge her existence. For the first time she felt like she could actually walk down the street and not everyone you saw knew your dirty laundry. It was refreshing to finally be a stranger. Growing up in a town that had a population of less than two thousand people, you were bound to run into people you knew everywhere you went. And most of them were people you didn’t really want to run into.

She made mental notes that there were a few restaurants and shops just down the street from her. There was a small sandwich shop, a Greek restaurant, and one cooking hot dogs that smelled amazing. She would have to make sure she got the take out menus on her next trip. Taking her time lingering in front of a few stores she finally made her way down to the grocery store. It was a small market, with aisles of fresh fruits and vegetables that looked more like art work instead of produce. Grabbing a buggy she made her way around the store, grabbing items here and there that she knew she liked. Cutting through the frozen food section she stocked up on snacks and other quick frozen meals. She even got a little risky and added a few gluten free items to her cart. She wasn’t really sure what the difference was between the gluten free granola and gluten included but she didn’t think it would hurt to try something new. It just so happened to be her new trend lately.

After she had filled her cart with an amount she figured would still be easy to carry, she made her way towards the check-out aisle. Digging in her purse for her over stuffed wallet, holding more cash than she normally carried, she nudged her cart along without paying attention. Finally grabbing her wallet she looked up right as she ran into the side of another customer. Her buggy hit them in the side and she could hear the gasp of pain.

“Oh my grief, I am so sorry…” her voice trailed off as she looked up. Her lips developing into a smile as her stomach immediately began to flutter. It was Ryan Dixon. She had to stop running into him like this; literally, someone was going to get hurt eventually.

She went to speak but words escaped her, suddenly she looked down and realized what she was wearing. Of course she would go out in public like this and run into Ryan. She was starting to think the “big man upstairs” was just making fun of her. Ryan on the other hand just stared at her with a huge grin on his face. She giggled at the sight of his boyish looks and then realized he was wearing his work-out clothes. Ok, so maybe she didn’t look quite as bad, compared to him, as she had originally though.

“You know I am kind of glad that you mentioned carpooling in our last conversation, I couldn’t imagine you driving a motorized vehicle.” There was a look in his eyes, she couldn’t quite pin point it but he didn’t look very surprised to see her. It was as if he knew she would be here today.

“Are you ok? I’m sorry, I wasn’t even paying attention.” She looked at him hoping for his sympathy.

“I’m good, nothing a hip replacement can’t fix. How are you?” That same grin plastered on his face, set from ear to ear.

“I’m good. I survived my first weekend at work and I didn’t burn the place down. I like to think of that as a plus.” She couldn’t seem to wipe this ridiculous look off of her face.

“Ha, well good job. I would hate to have to go bail you out of jail. Though I bet your friends back home would get a kick out of that story.”

“Well considering that the only friends I had back home were drunks that were well into their sixties, which I met at a bar, they probably wouldn’t expect any different. For your sake I hope you wouldn’t have to because you would probably have to bail out Judy and Ashley with me”

“Oh yes, the three musketeers. I guess you girls have hit it off pretty well. I am surprised they didn’t brand you with a facial tat and pink hair” He gave her a sideways look. He knew those girls meant well but they had a pretty wild side. Briefly he wondered if Abbi really fell into that whole scene or not.

“Yeah, they are trying to talk me into a girl’s night on our next night off. I might need your number so you can bail us out of jail after all.” Holy hell, she just asked for his number, a brief moment of hope shot up her spine. Would he give it to her?

“Well let’s hope not.”

Her smile faded as he said it. Shot down. She tried to look behind her like she was looking for someone who didn’t exist. She didn’t want him to see the look of complete disappointment on her face.

“But just in case, do you have your phone on you?”

What? She snapped her head back around. Well shit, he was going to give her his number. Score! She fumbled around in her purse and nervously smiled up at him until she found her phone. Turning on the screen she unlocked it and handed it to him.

“Oh that’s a nice picture, is that your mom?” He glanced down at the picture of her and her mother on one of their last camping trips, both in camouflage shirts and shorts as they roasted hotdogs over a fire by their tent. “I didn’t take you for a woods and tents kinda girl. But I guess I keep forgetting you’re from the country.”

“Oh, yeah that’s her. That was her last camping trip.” She found her mind drifting back to her mom before she caught herself, too sad for an exciting moment.

“Last?”

“Yeah, she passed away from breast cancer a few years back.” The sadness crept back into her eyes; she really didn’t want to talk about this.

“Oh, wow. I’m sorry to hear that.” She watched the pain slowly form in his face. She could feel his hurt for her. She watched as he dialed his number into her phone and pushed call, hearing his ringtone go off in his pocket he hung up. “There you go, that’s the hotline to getting bailed out of jail.” He smiled as he handed her the phone.

“Well thank you for that. Now all I need is a baker and candle stick maker and I will be all set.”

She waited, awkwardly shifting her weight from left foot to right. A part of her felt like he wanted to say something else to her but he was just standing there. What the hell was she supposed to do, smile and walk away? She was going to have to talk with the girls and get some more tips on, “How to act cool when being asked on a date”. She willed him in her head to say something else but he was just standing there. Finally he opened his mouth to talk and a slight noise came out. Oh the suspense was killing her.

“Well, I am sure you have a busy day ahead of you and I don’t want your Hot Pockets to defrost, so I will let you get on your way.”

Disappointment flooded over her again like a bucket of cold water. She really thought that he was going to ask her out but maybe she had used up all of her luck by getting his number. She tried to keep a straight face. She didn’t want him to see the hurt in her eyes. I mean she barely knew him, for all she knew he could be married with kids. Though she knew that wasn’t true because both of the girls had confirmed that he was quite available. Maybe he was gay; he did work around a lot of guys after all. Deep down she knew what it was, she didn’t want to admit it to herself, but no man who owned a multi-million dollar company wanted to kick it with some girl from the sticks. She ultimately wasn’t good enough for him.

“Yeah, I wouldn’t want that to happen. It was good seeing you. Maybe I will see you around again. Oh and keep your phone close in case things get crazy with the girls.” Friendly, she could do friendly.

“Ha. Don’t worry it never leaves my side.” He smiled as he patted the side of his gym shorts. “I hope I see you around Abbi.”

She made her way up to the counter and unloaded her groceries. Letting out a deep breath she leaned her elbow onto the check writing counter placing her head in her hand. What on earth was he even doing on this side of town? It wasn’t a bad neighborhood by any means, but she expected that he lived in a huge mansion in a much nicer area.

“Man problems? If it was that one you were just talking to then girl you better fix them.” The short round lady behind the register joked.

“I know right. Well at least he knows I exist now. Not that it would matter.” She mumbled. She didn’t really want to be discussing her man problems with the clerk at the grocery store.

She collected her receipt after she had paid, and grabbed her bags heading out the door. Making her way back towards her apartment she replayed the conversation back through her head. He had seemed interested in her, how could someone smile like that at someone they didn’t at least like. Ok, so she wasn’t the prettiest person in the world, and some of her jokes weren’t really that funny. But she could feel it, the spark from his touch. It was like electricity running through her veins. Even though they had only been around each other a few times, she could feel the draw toward him. Like magnets pulling into one another. Was she just crazy?

She moped as she made her way out of the grocery store. Two green reusable shopping bags tucked into each arm. On her way back to her apartment she turned into one of the small boutique shops she had passed on her way down to the grocery store. She might as well mark off as many things from her to do list as she could today. She walked in making her way around the front of the store as a clerk approached her.

“Can I help with you with anything?”

“Yes, I need some dark curtains.” Right now she wanted to be in a cave.

“We’ll I am sure we can find some of those just over this way.” Abbi followed the lady to a rack towards the far wall.

By the time she made it to her front door she hadn’t even remembered the rest of the walk she had just made from the boutique. As she put away her groceries she glanced over at her phone, contemplating. Was it too soon, she wasn’t really sure what the protocol was on this sort of thing. She had never had the power in her hands like this before. After she put away the last item from the bag she leaned against the fridge. Staring; willing her phone to do something on its own. But it didn’t, it just sat on the counter, like a phone normally did. She knew it was sad when you start having internal conversations with a piece of technology.

Ok, screw it, she was going for it. I mean what did she have to lose? She picked up her phone and unlocked the screen. The picture of her and her mom came up; she wanted more than her mom had. She wanted someone who was going to have the courage to never leave, someone who would always be there to provide for her both mentally and physically. She pulled up his name and hit the call button. It rang, and rang again, and a third time. Ok, shit this was a bad idea and just as she went to push end she heard a voice on the other end.

“Well it took you long enough.”

“Well hello to you too.” Abbi giggled.

“So how was your night after I left? Did your boss give you anymore grief?” Jeff asked.

“No, he actually apologized for acting like a crazy person.” Briefly the strange conversation going on in Trent’s office from that night popped back into her head. She never found out who that guy was.

“Good, I was worried I was going to have to go back and kick his ass and leave him in a dark alley.”

“No, none of that please. I need a boss to have a job.” Ok maybe not ax murderer... but he had some pent up aggression all right.

“Ok, I promise I won’t. So how has your day been? I’m really glad you called.” His voice deepened making Abbi’s stomach churn and not in a good way either, but she assumed it was just her nerves. She had never had a man give her his number, and if she had, she would have never had the courage before to actually call him.

“Today has been good, I took a trip to the grocery store down the block from my apartment, so I am officially re-stocked on Pop Tarts and bottled water.” She smiled.

“A girl has to live off of more than that, how about you let me take you to dinner. Did you get your schedule yet?”

Oh Lord help me now.
In all honesty what did she expect, she called looking for a date and BAM she just got one. Although she wasn’t really thrilled about that. Why wasn’t she thrilled? She felt like she should be jumping up and down, instead she was trying to figure out how rude it would be to decline a gesture that she had obviously reached out for. Nerves, it had to be her nerves getting the best of her.

“Um, yeah I am actually off today and then again on Wednesday, but the girls want to go out. Maybe I can talk them into meeting you out somewhere if you’d like to get a drink.” Or maybe if she just kept pushing it off he’d decline on his own.

“I tell you what, why don’t you ask the girls if they would like to come to a party. It’s nothing too fancy, but my boss is having this party on his yacht. I am new to the company and it sounds like it will be a great party. They take the ship out for a few hours before coming back to port and there will be plenty of drinks and food. What do you say?”

Ok, well the pros were that Ashley and Judy would be there with her and worst case she could always hide if the date went horribly. The cons were that there couldn’t be too many hiding places on a boat, and if things got really bad she didn’t want to have to swim back to shore. “Ok, I will ask them. I am sure they will be down to go.”

“Great!” There was no hiding the excitement in his voice. “Now, I know how you ladies are about your clothes. Like I said it will be low key so you don’t have to get all dolled up. If you’d like to wear your bathing suit I won’t complain.”

She hoped he was being sarcastic.

“Well I won’t wear my evening gown, but I will probably have on more clothes than a bathing suit.” She tried to make it sound joking.

“Can’t say I didn’t try.”

“You can say you didn’t succeed though.” This time it was a genuine laugh escaping her lips.

“Ow, your words cut like a knife.” His fake gurgles on the other end of the receiver made her laugh even harder.

“Well I do come from the sticks. Don’t underestimate my abilities to hypothetically cut people.”